Sewer opening adapter means

ABSTRACT

Sewer opening adapter means for use in unplugging sewer lines are disclosed having inner wall means in the form of rigid pipe means and outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube bonded at the top and bottom of said pipe means so as to form therewith an inflatable air bag covering said pipe means, said pipe means having first and second cavities formed therein inwardly of the upper end thereof, said second cavity formed inwardly of and being smaller in diameter than said first cavity, said second cavity being first-conical and inwardly converging so as to mate with and liquid seal against the lower end of a manually operable fluid pump, and air valve carried in said pipe means for inflating said air bag, and clamp means carried in said pipe means for clamping said adapter means to said fluid pump, said air valve and said clamp means both disposed in said first cavity radially outwardly of said second cavity.

United States Patent [191 Neuman 51 May 7,1974

[ SEWER OPENING ADAPTER MEANS [76] Inventor: August Neuman, 14283 Fordham,

Related U.S. ApplicationData [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 143,496, May 14,

[52] US. Cl. 4/255 [51] Int. Cl. E03c 1/304, E030 1/308 [58] Field of Search 4/255, 256, 257

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,608,098 9/1971 Andrisani 4/256 1,762,608 6/1930 Brown 4/256 1,848,269 3/1932 Petersen.... 4/255 UX 2,055,801 9/1936 Perry 4/257 2,059,785 11/1936 Gaik 4/255 2,306,444 12/1942 Hubbard.... 4/257 2,311,196 2/1943 Ahern 141/1 2,413,997 1/1947 Rosa 15/104.05 2,733,450 2/1956 Wallace, Sr... 4/256 2,755,810 7/1956 Kurt 4/256 3,595,255 7/1971 Mulinex 4/256 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerDonald B. Massenberg s7 ABSTRACT Sewer opening adapter means for use in unplugging sewer lines are disclosed having inner wall means in the form of rigid pipe means and outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube bonded at the top and hottom of said pipe means so as to form therewith an inflatable air bag covering said pipe means, said pipe means having first and second cavities formed therein inwardly of the upper end thereof, said second cavity formed inwardly of and being smaller in diameter than said first cavity, said second cavity being first-conical and inwardly converging so as to mate with and liquid seal against the lower end of a manually operable fluid 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures SEWER OPENING ADAPTER MEANS This application is a continuation-in-part application of my prior copending application Ser. No. l43,496

v filed May 14,1971.

My invention relates to hydraulic sewer cleaning;

The principal object of my invention is to provide sewer opening adapter means for use in hydraulically unplugging sewer lines which adapter means adapt hydraulic pressure means to sewer lines, such as toilets and garbage disposal openings, for forcing water under pressure through said sewer lines to dislodge obstructions therein.

The foregoing object of my invention and the advantages thereof will become apparent during the course of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-6 are, respectively, side elevational, top plan, front and rear elevational, vertical full and fragmentary sectional views of sewer opening adapter means embodying my invention; and

FIGS. 7l0 are, respectively, front elevational, top and bottom plan andvertical sectional views of another sewer opening adapter means embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-6, 10 generally designates said adapter means'shown therein which comprises a one-piece rigid inner wall means in the form of pipe means 12, preferably molded of plastic, and flexible outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube 14. An upper part 16 of said pipe means 12 is frustroconical in vertical section forming a cavity 18 therein which uniformly decreases in ID. from top to bottom thereof for mating with and liquid sealing against the CD. of the lower end of a hydraulic pump P. The lower end of said pump P is formed with a rubber sleeve being frustro-conical in vertical section in respect to its 0D. Said pump P consists of a cylinder and piston unit having a piston rod operative out of the upper end thereof, which piston rod is provided with a handle on its free end for manual actuation of said pump P. Above said upper part 16 a horizontal platform 17 is formed surrounding which and upstanding therefrom is a vertical perimeter wall 19. The platform 17 and the wall 19 are formed as integral parts of said pipe means 12. The lower part 20 of said pipe means 12 is arcuately bent and extends downwardly and frontwardly in respect to the axis of said upper part 16. Said rubber tube 14 covers said pipe means 12 and is bonded thereto at the top and bottom thereof so as to form an inflatable air bag covering said pipe means 12, which air bag liquid seals against the sewer opening to be unplugged. The lower end of said rubber tube 14 is reversely bent and bonded via its inside surface to the inside surface of the lower end of said pipe means 12 and the upper end thereof is bonded via its inside surface to the outside surface of said wall 19. Said pipe means 12 is provided with a pair of diametrically spaced apart clamp means 24 each in the form of a screw 26 upstanding from said platform 17. Each screw 26 is embedded in said platform 17 and in a boss 29 integrally formed to join with said upper part 16 and said platform 17 so as to depend from the latter. Said clamp means 24 also includes for each screw 26 a nut 28 for threadably engaging said screw 26 and a washer 30. The pair of nuts 28 which should be tightened equally bear against the respective washers 30 which latter in turn bear against the upper surface of the lower end of the hydraulic pump P to clamp the latter to said adapter means 10 as best shown in FIG. 6. Said platform 17 carries a conventional air valve, generally designated 23, embedded therein for inflating and deflating said air bag. Said air valve 23 has a valve body 21 containing the usual check valve and is embedded in said platform 17 and in a boss 22 integrally formed with said platform 17 so as to depend from the latter.

In operation of said adapter means 10 in hydraulic sewer cleaning, i.e. in unplugging a sewer line, particularly a toilet, said adapter means 10 is used with said hydraulic pump P. Air under pressure is forced into the inflatable air bag by an air compressor or pump so as to inflate said air bag so that it expands to four or five inches to conform to the size and shape of the particular toilet opening to be unplugged. Air can be let out of the air bag at the job site by depressing the valve stem of the valve 23 in the usual manner. Said hydraulic pump P is then inserted into the cavity 18 so that the CD. of the lower end thereof mates with and liquid seals against the ID. of the cavity 18. Said pump P is then clamped to said adapter means 10 by said clamp means 24 so that the two units are in effect a single unit. Said adapter means 10 is then inserted via its lower end into the toilet opening to be unplugged to mate with and liquid seal against the flush drain of said toilet by virtue of the compressible air bag construction of said adapter means 10. The piston of said hydraulic pump P is manually actuated to suck water up through the pipe means 12 and into the cylinder of said hydraulic pump P. Thereafter, said piston is manually actuated in one or more downward power strokes to force water under pressure from said cylinder, through said pipe means 12, into the toilet opening and against the obstruction therein to dislodge the latter. If necessary, this procedure is repeated until the toilet is running freely again. When the adapter means 10 has been used for itspurpose in unplugging a toilet, prior to storing the same, it should be washed inside and out and the air bag should be deflated.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-10, 34 generally designates said adapter means shown therein which comprises a one-piece rigid inner wall means in the form of pipe means 36 preferably molded of plastic and flexible outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube 40. Near the upper end of said pipe means 36 is a horizontal annular platform 38 surrounding which and upstanding therefrom is a vertical perimeter wall 43. The platform 38 and the wall 43 are formed as integral parts of said pipe means 36. Said pipe means 36 is provided with male garden hose threads 37 at the upper end thereof for mating with female garden hose threads on a threaded connection on an end of a garden hose H. Said rubber tube 40 covers a part of said pipe means 36 and is bonded thereto at the top and bottom thereof so as to form an inflatable air bag covering a part of said pipe means 36, which air bag liquid seals against the sewer opening to be unplugged. The lower end of said rubber tube 40 is reversely bent and bonded via its inside surface to the inside surface of the lower end of said pipe means 36 and the upper end thereof is bonded via its inside surface to the outside surface of said wall 43. Said platform 38 carries a conventional air valve 39 for inflating and deflating said air bag. Said air valve 39 has a valve body 35 containing a check valve and is embedded in said platform 38 and in a boss 41 integrally formed with said platform 38 so as to depend from the latter.

In operation of said adapter means 34 in hydraulic sewer cleaning, i.e., in unplugging a sewer line, particularly a garbage disposal opening, said adapter means 34 is used with said garden hose H, one end of which is provided with a female garden hose connection. Air under pressure is forced into the air bag by an air compressor or pump so as to inflate said air bag so that it conforms to the size and shape of the particular garbage disposal opening to be unplugged. Said adapter means 34 is then inserted via its bottom end into said garbage disposal opening to be unplugged to mate with and liquid seal against said garbage disposal opening by virtue of the compressible air bag construction of said adapter means 34. Said garden hose H is then fastened to the male threads 37 on the upper part of said pipe means 36. Water under pressure from said garden hose H is forced through the pipe means 36, into the garbage disposal opening and against the obstruction therein to dislodge the latter.

The adapter means and the adapter means 34 can adapt hydraulic pressure means to most sinks, laundry tubs, wash basins, toilets of most any make or size, all sizes of garbage disposals and all drains up to five inches in diameter.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by my invention sewer opening adapter means in which the object hereinabove set forth, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, has been successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been shown and described it is to be understood that variations and changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. Sewer opening adapter means for use in unplugging sewer lines, drains and the like having inner wall means in the form of rigid pipe means and outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube bonded at the top and bottom of said pipe means so as to form therewith an inflatable air bag between said top and said bottom covering said pipe means, said pipe means having first and second cavities formed therein inwardly of the upper end thereof, said second cavity formed inwardly of and being smaller in diameter than said first cavity, said second cavity being frusto-conical and inwardly converging so as to mate with and liquid seal against the lower end of a separate manually operable fluid pump, an air valve carried in said pipe means for inflating said air bag, so that it conforms to the size and shape of said sewer lines and clamp means carried in said pipe means for clamping said adapter means to said fluid pump, said air valve and said clamp means both disposed in said first cavity radially outwardly of said second cavity.

2. Sewer opening adapter means as claimed in claim 1, said clamp means comprising a pair of spaced apart male threaded studs carried in said adapter means on opposite sides of said first cavity for holding nuts and washers which bear against the lower end of said fluid pump.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CQEQTEUN Patent No. '3 9 808 611 Dated y 7 1974 Inventofls) August euman It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Abstrat of the Disclosure, line 10, "first-conical" should read frusto-conical Column 4, claim 8, lines 3 and 4, delete "said adapter means on opposite sides of".

signed and sealed this 5th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY Mo GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer I Commissioner of Patents R po'mso uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 I U,S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE! o 

1. Sewer opening adapter means for use in unplugging sewer lines, drains and the like having inner wall means in the form of rigid pipe means and outer wall means in the form of a rubber tube bonded at the top and bottom of said pipe means so as to form therewith an inflatable air bag between said top and said bottom covering said pipe means, said pipe means having first and second cavities formed therein inwardly of the upper end thereof, said second cavity formed inwardly of and being smaller in diameter than said first cavity, said second cavity being frustoconical and inwardly converging so as to mate with and liquid seal against the lower end of a separate manually operable fluid pump, an air valve carried in said pipe means for inflating said air bag, so that it conforms to the size and shape of said sewer lines and clamp means carried in said pipe means for clamping said adapter means to said fluid pump, said air valve and said clamp means both disposed in said first cavity radially outwardly of said second cavity.
 2. Sewer opening adapter means as claimed in claim 1, said clamp means comprising a pair of spaced apart male threaded studs carried in said adapter means on opposite sides of said first cavity for holding nuts and washers which bear against the lower end of said fluid pump. 